Past, Present and Future
by TheWolfAndTheRose99-2
Summary: Human Nature/Family Of Blood AU. 10xRose, Martha, BadWolf!Rose turned to Human!Rose Human!Ten


He dreams every single night of her and him. He's an adventurous madman who travels through time and space, and she is his companion, as many others were. But it's different because she's different. In his dreams they run and they run and they don't stop. The running, it's always the way. He wonders how she keeps up. But then again, she is a goddess.

Or at least she feels like one, he isn't sure. Sometimes he dreams that she is a true goddess, made light with golden entrails spilling from her eyes. She looks beautiful and terrifying at the same time in these dreams. Sometimes he dreams that she's just a girl, and this time, her eyes are brown and she's all pink and yellow and soft and warm.

He often wakes up reaching and a calling out for her, before slowly realising that she isn't real. Which makes him sad, for those first five minutes of the morning, before he chuckles to himself. Sentimental idiot, longing for a dream girl, it's always the way. He knows that she isn't real, and he isn't a mad man. Just John, the school teacher, which is nice.

Every morning he reminds himself that she isn't actually real, but in-between classes he suddenly finds himself making sketches of her all through his notebook. In his dreams he calls her Rose, which he thinks suits her indefinitely. The name fits in his mouth so well, like a sweet spoonful of honey.

oOo

he talks to Martha about the new librarian who's just joined the school. He has been trying to stop and say hello all day, but Martha's been distracting him.

"But Martha, it's only proper to introduce myself. It's polite." He insists, but Martha is clearly against it. Perhaps she would get jealous if he became friends with this woman, which is absurd as although he loves Martha, his old family maid, it is only through friendship. She is his servant and she would never have a chance with him. Not that she would anyway, as she isn't really his type. He finds it adorable that she may apparently have some kind of crush on him.

Against all her advice he goes to introduce himself, bringing with him a stack of books that he had never returned to the library when the old librarian, Mr Stoker worked there. was a tired old man who didn't pay much attention to such things, but he can't find a better excuse for Martha to let him go and meet the librarian.

He skips down the stairs, and heads in the direction of the library. He opens the doors, and notices the librarian standing there. She wears a simple dress and cardigan, he can see with her back to him. He notices her hair is blonde as she takes off her hat and puts it on the side. Upon hearing the bell ring as he closes the door behind him, she turns around.

The books clatter to the ground in a pile, and so does he tripping over himself to pick them up, still in shock. She runs straight to him, crouching on the floor.

"Excuse me sir, are you alright?" she asks.

"R-Rose?" he asks. It's her, he knows it is. Those eyes, that golden blonde hair. Her lips…everything. This is the girl of his dreams.

"I'm sorry, my names Marion." She says, as he sits up.

"Right, of course, " he says, his thought gathering. He scolds himself internally, reminding himself that his dreams are only fantasies "many apologies, Ms Marion..?"

"Tyler"

"Marion Tyler, of course. I'm John smith" he offers, reaching out a hand. She shakes it gently, and he almost visibly shivers. Her skin is soft, just like Rose's.

"Have you ever considered the name Rose instead?" he asks, only half joking, and thank god she laughs. He laugh is sweet and soft, a light tinkling, musical sound. He could listen to her laugh all day.

"Funny enough, Rose is my middle name. but I much prefer Marion. It's nice to meet you all the same." She says, before standing up. He stands up too, clutching the books he dropped and setting them on the counter.

"Anyways, Mr Smith, I have a lot of work to do," she said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a watch. The watch is golden, and has strange markings on it, he notices on the other side an engraving of a wolf. "It's already four o'clock."

"That's a nice watch," he says, smiling. The watch looks almost familiar to him, and he isn't sure why.

"Thank you Mr Smith. My mother gave it to me." She says, before shoving it back in her pocket, and standing behind the desk, stamping the books he's brought in one by one. "As I said, Mr Smith, much to do."

"Right, of course," he says, taking the hint. "I will see you around, Ms Tyler." He says, heading to the door.

"Please, call me Marion" she calls as he leaves.

"Then I insist you call me John" he calls back, before closing the door and smiling.

Somehow, he thinks, Marion Rose Tyler has exceeded his dream girl standards.

oOo

He falls in love with her hard and fast over the next three months, even if he does not act on it and they stay friends. He feels like he finally has everything he ever wanted, in a funny way, he doesn't have his dreams as much anymore. For once, reality seems much more appealing.

And then, faster than he achieved it in the first place, his happiness is brutally snatched away. Martha, she shows them both that their lives don't make sense, and she tells them that they're not real.

"You must be lying!?" he shouts "The Doctor, he isn't real. He's just a dream!"

"No he's not, he's real and we need him!" she says "You're The Doctor and she's Rose. Together, you travel the universe. And now, you have to change back!" she insists, clutching both watches tightly and handing them over.

Marion slinks down to the floor and he remorsefully sits down next to her. He's aware they're both crying. She slides her hand over his ever so gently, and it shocks him how right their fingers feel intertwined.

"John I think, I think that Martha is right. You're stories, they were always too good. They felt real, to me."

"They did?" he asks, a little pleased that she likes his remembers how her face lit up when she read them, and saw the drawings of her.

"_This character, Rose. You based her on me?" she asked. "Oh, sort of. Your face just matched my description of her. Rose is brilliant, but I still like Marion a lot more."_

"_Always the silver tongue, John" she chuckled, and he just smiled, happy to hear her laugh again._

"Yes. They felt too real, like de ja vu." She says, bringing him out of his memories

"I can't believe this."

"We have to change back" she says. "The village will be destroyed if we don't. which neither of us want." She turns to face him, and reaches up her other hand to wipe a stray tear off of his face. "I always did love your stories John, but not as much as I loved you."

"You say that in the past tense. You say loved. I'm still here, and so are you. I still love you."

"I know. But us, we're past tense now. We have to be. John and Marion. The love story that was never meant to be, you know? But I know, that inside, Rose loves The Doctor just as much, if not more. and I think that he really does love her too, not that he lets himself admit it."

"You're right," he admits "In my dreams, I knew how it felt to be him. When Rose changed, from just a girl, to a true goddess, he was so afraid. And those words, Bad Wolf, they still follow them. But now, they mean a good thing."

"The Oncoming Storm and The Bad Wolf," Marion says wistfully "What a pair they make."

"Open on the count of three?" he says. And Marion nods.

"One," he starts.

"Two,"

He smiles wistfully, and looks at Marion for the last time, before pushing his face into hers, "Three" he whispers against her lips, before kissing her soundly, as the watches flicker open and golden light floods from both of them, wrapping around them as their mouths move together in perfect rhythm. Her hands in his hair and his hands resting on her face. They turn into different people, with different thoughts and different minds, but one thing stays. The love.

The Doctor is the first to pull back, but his hands stay on Rose's face. "I love you Rose," he says quietly, watching the tears flood down her face. He then realises that his eyes are flooding too. "I love you so much." He says again, resting their foreheads together.

"Present tense?" she asks

"Past, Present and Future."


End file.
